Car-journal box.



No. 697,947. Patented Apr. I5, |902..

T. W. MITCHELL.

CAR JOURNAL BOX.

(Application led Sept. 9, 1901,)

(No Model.) 2`Sheets-Sheet l.

Patented Apr. I5, |902. T. W. MITCHELL.

CAB JOURNAL BOX.

(Application led Sept. 9, 1901.)

2 Shaetg sheet 2- (ND Model.)

muon.

ArnNr THOMAS lV. MITCHELL, OF OMAHA, NEBRASKA.

cAR-JoURNAL sox.

SPECIFICATION forming part of' Letters Patent No. 697,947, dated April15, 1902.

Application filed September 9, 1901. Serial No. 74,768. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Beit known that I, THoMAs W. MITCHELL, a citizen of the United States,residing at Omaha, in the county of Douglas and State of Nebraska, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Car-Journal Boxes; and Ido hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exactdescription of the same, reference being had to the accompanying draw'ings, forming a part of this specification, and to the letters ofreference marked thereon.

This invention relates to improvements in journal-boxes such as areparticularly designed for use on railway-cars and similar vehicles, theobject of the invention being to provide a box which will retain thelubricant without becoming impaired by nor interfere with the movementsof the journal and box with respect to each other.

'The invention further consists in certain novel details of constructionand combinations and arrangements of parts, all as will be nowdescribed, and pointed out particularly in the appended claims.

Referring to the accompanying drawings, Figure l is a horizontal sectionthrough a journal-box embodying the present improvements, the journalbeing shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a section taken in a vertical plane.Fig. is a View looking at the rear face of the box. Fig. et is a view ofthe packing-follower. Fig. 5 is a view of the packing.

Similar letters of reference in the several figures indicate the sameparts.

The general lines of the journal-box A conform to the MasterOar-Builders standard, only its front is adapted to be closed by atight-fitting cover-plate A', preferably held in place by screwsorsimilar fastenings,which will permit of the formation of oil-tightjoints about the cover-plate. The rear face A2 of the box is, as usual,provided with an elon# gated or oval-shaped opening through which theend of the axle or journal projects into the box, said opening beingelongated to allow for the relative movements of the journal and box asthe brass or bearing wears down or due to car movements. The necessityfor providing for such relative movements of these parts has heretoforerendered it exceedingly difficult to provide a means for retaining thelubricant in the box and exthis purpose.

cluding water, dust, dac., from the same, for it is obvious that apacking requiring that the shaft have a fixed position will not answer,and if metal packing be employed and applied directly against the faceof the box the soft metal of the packing 'would become shouldered to thecontour of the axle-orifice and either throw the parts of the bearingout of position or when the parts move with relation to eachV other opencracks through which the lubricant may escape and dust and water enter.To overcome these diificulties, I provide a fiat face on the rear of thebox and against this face locate a disk having an aperture therein, butslightly larger than the portion of the axle adjacent the journal. Thisdisk (lettered B in the drawings) permits the axle to rotate freely, butpartakes of its lateral movements, while its smooth and extended bearingon the rear face or the box forms an oil-tight joint. Outside of andbearing against the disk B is the packing-ring proper, preferably formedas in my prior patent, No. 647,313, dated April l0, 190D-that is to say,with soft-metal segments C, having at each end cooperating flatbearing-surfaces and on opposite ends external rounded surfaces, saidsegments contained within a retainer-ring C2 and adapted to be advancedagainst the axle by springs C. A. yielding follower D, also surroundingthe axle,- serves to move the packing-ring up tightly against the diskand the disk against the box. In the preferred construction the followeris connected with the box by bolts E, passing through slotted ears D D2on the follower and box, respectively, and having springs G on theirouter ends and interposed between the nuts I-I and ears D2, whereby thepressure with which the follower is advanced may be regulated.

The box may be lled with lubricant through an opening closed by ascrew-plug K, or the cover-plate may be removed for Thus while the boxis adapted for the use of a iiuid or viscous lubricant without the useof waste, should the packing become worn out or broken the box may befilled with waste and the ordinary lubricant, when the box will operateas do the ordinary j ournal-boxes now in common use.

It will be observed that the only side wear IOC occurs between the metaldisk B and the rear face of the box, and as these parts are hardenedwear at this point is negligible, while wear around the axle only takesplace when `the packing-segments contact therewith, and such segmentsmay be renewed by simply backing o the follower to expose thepacking-ring for the insertion of new segments.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

The combination with the box having the tight but removable cover andelongated opening in its rear face for the entry of the journal wherebythe box and journal may move laterally with respect to each other, of ahardmetal disk working against the face of the box and movabletransversely with the jour-

